Category Archive

We held a fitness activity as part our our pre-kickoff activities for 2008 in Diamond branch of Pru Life UK. The venue was on Macapagal, Pasay in the vicinity of SM Mall of Asia (MOA). Our starting point was McDonald’s at the Power station at 7 a.m. We were given several tasks and a group shot was required after accomplishing each one. We had so much fun! Hope you enjoy the photos…

Task no. 1 – Form like a car, drive through McDonald’s and order one large fries.

Task no. 2 – Form a human chain from the foot of the bridge the other end. Pass on the fries you bought at the drive thru from the first person up to the last, and each one takes a piece of the fries and eat it at the same time.

Task no. 3 – KASAL, KASALI, KASALO — Portray a wedding ceremony

Task no. 4 – Crazy monkeys are on the loose. Imagine that the posts of the car wash are trees and you are the monkeys. Strike a pose!

Task no. 5 – Look for the 8 pieces of concrete culvert and find a way for all of you to hide inside.

Task no. 6 – Look for a 3 level fountain. Make a wacky pose with the convention center as background.

Task no. 7 – Ronald McDonald has good news for you. Go and ask him…News flash! The branch manager has been kidnapped! The kidnappers are asking you to write down your individual commitments for 2008 as ransom for her release.

Good news!! FREE breakfast awaits you after the successful rescue sponsored by Ms. Che.

We recently launched a new fund-the PruLink Equity Fund. The fund seeks to optimize medium- to long-term capital growth through investments in shares of stocks listed at the Philippine Stock Exchange. This fund is for those who have high-risk appetite for their investment. To better prepare us for the demands of investors who are becoming more learned and sophisticated, we opted to expose ourselves into this world ruled by a lot of misconceptions. Taking part in an exposure trip to the Makati Stock Exchange trading floor was truly an experience!

Our branch manager, Ms. Che Martinez, arranged our tour and information session. The Philippine Stock Exchange has a Market Education department, which aims to reach out the general public and promote stock market investing through educational seminars. We were privileged to hear from Jay Peñaflor who gave us a general overview of stock market investing.

Sapi is the Filipino word for stock. In English, it literally means “possess” or “acquire”. A stock investment represents ownership on a company, where the investor (of common stock) is entitled to vote and share in the profits of the company he invested in. He can also claim on the company’s asset and earnings in the form of dividends.

Here are a couple of most frequently asked questions:

Q: Is it risky to invest in stocks?
A: One must have a healthy dose of knowledge coupled with discipline. Without either one, then there is a very high probability that the investor will lose his money for he does not know what he is getting into or doing.

Q: How do we pick a good company to invest in?
A: For beginners, it would be advisable to invest in blue chip stocks, which have the following characteristics:
1. big and profitable company
2. very stable price movement/minimal risk
3. declares regular dividend payment to stockholders

Personally, I’d take Warren Buffet’s advice: “Only buy something that you’d be perfectly happy to hold if the market shut down for 10 years.”

Nishit Majmudar is the new President and CEO of Pru Life UK effective April 2007. He has an extensive actuarial background. He used to be with the Monetary Authority of Singapore before becoming the Chief Actuary of Prudential Assurance Company (Singapore) in 2000. Nish, as he would prefer to be called, took the lead in client education on retirement planning with a series of talks called “PruLink Seminars”. In the 2003 issue of Market Momentum, his advice to the man on the street is this: “Many of us spend most of our time thinking of ways to earn more money and hardly any time on making our money work hard. A more balanced approach could reap higher financial gains and lead to a more comfortable life, especially after retirement.”

Mr. Nishit Majmudar succeeded Mr. Charlie Oropeza and Mr. Bobby Madrid, now the Chairman of the Board of Pru Life UK.

I had the opportunity to interact with him at the Leaders’ Lunch where top producers are recognized and treated to lunch with the company’s executives. It was held in Gaster Deli at 6750 Building Ayala Avenue, Makati City. We were served salad with various dressings, roast beef, fettucine alfredo, dory fish fillet, rice pilaf and for dessert, we had fruit tarts, chocolate balls, leche flan and brownies. The token was very useful and innovative-luggage tag with sewing kit.

Mr. Majmudar announced that the tie-up of Pru Life UK with Citibank is in the final stages. This affiliation will give rise to a strong brand impact beneficial to both. Citibank will promote Pru Life UK financial solutions to its cardholders. The credit card payment arrangement is a very convenient payment scheme for policyholders. With regards to the radical trend of the unit prices, he emphasized that Pru Life UK policyholders and investors must maintain their long-term horizon and the worst thing to do is to panic in response to world market reactions. He also advices investors to diversify. The cardinal rule is… high returns involve high risk.

One of my clients shared this letter he composed to his children which he attached to the life insurance policy he bought from me in the hope of inspiring other parents to do the same.

To my dear children,

I am very sorry for leaving you so soon. There is never a perfect time for any father to have gone ahead of his loved ones. God called me to help Him in heaven. One day, you will understand.

I am confident that you will be good, loving and cheerful givers of this world. I have raised you in the way I know best. I wish I have led you right and helped you to be true. It is an honor that God entrusted me to you and thank you for choosing me. Each day with you is a gift to live up to the ideals of being the best Daddy that I can be. I am sorry for my shortcomings. Please forgive me for the times I ignored you, lost my patience and hurt you and your mother. Even Daddy is a work in progress.

Be bold, be brave and live your days to the fullest and without regret. Life is all about love and growth. Love one another and pass on the good works to your spouses, children and grandchildren. Let no man put you down and don’t let them steal your dreams.

Daddy is in heaven now so don’t worry. I provided for your needs at least until the time that you have adjusted without me and ready to take on the world. I signed this policy for this purpose. Your Tita Edlynn will help me take care of you. She knows best how to handle a family crisis such as this. Just give her a call whenever you want to hear stories about me, and she can also tell you how much I love you all. Do this gesture to your future children as well. I have sent you angels to watch over you, my children. Take care of Mommy and know that I love her very much. If she is happy, be assured that I will be happy for her too.

Though I am not with you physically anymore, I remain alive in the memories that we shared. Whenever you miss me, just close your eyes; remember the good times we had as a family and I will be there. I will visit you in your dreams-I miss you too.

One day, we will meet again.

I love you from the bottom of my bottomless heart.

With love,
Daddy

“For those of us who believe, death is not the dying of the light. It is the lamp of life turned off at the coming of the dawn.” – Tagore

Interested to write your own ‘love letter’ to your family? I can help you. Drop me a line at 0917-5336869